Do you think Barbra’s book will do well?

Her market demographic is retired boomers, who have all the time (and money?) in the world, so 47 hours of listening to or reading Barbra is a drop in the bucket. They will make it a huge nostalgic bestseller.

[quote]She walked too long.

Where was James with the golfcart?

I took the new Vanity Fair issue into work, the one with Barbra on the cover. My younger coworkers didn't even know who it was on the cover.

They probably don't know what a magazine is either.

*waited too long

Not to be crude, but aren’t her diehard fans pretty much dead now? The woman is in her 80s. She takes forever to finish projects. She’s been MIA for long stretches of time, unlike someone like Cher who’s always out there. Babs is pretty much forgotten except for a few South Park jokes.

Barbra should remake The Carpenter’s “Sing” and invite all of todays non-talents as the voices of the children’s chorus. It might even generate sales or “clicks” if that’s your thang.

[quote]Babs is pretty much forgotten except for a few South Park jokes.

FUCK YOU, R6.

I only know her as River Red the knife dancing freak.

R6 lmao

She sold out Madison Sq. Garden two years ago. Granted it was an older crowd but they were far from dead. I grew up with Babs and still listen to her stuff.

She was never a serious actress

Wait til you hear about all the babies I aborted !!! It's all in my book!

“People” still watch “South Park”? It seems a little old fu. I think the youth have even moved beyond “Sponge Bob Square Pants”, if clues on “Jeopardy!” are any indication.

Do you think she's going to write an interesting book? I kinda doubt it. People want Joan Collins grade bitchery.

But Barbra has that heart wrenching story about how much she regrets not lowering the handkerchief from her face in that one scene in that movie she did fifty years ago which was really all the director’s fault and so that’s why she didn’t get an Oscar.

She has both a B. Dalton and Books-A-Million in her mall. It'll be a best-seller.

Yes, it will do well. The fans are still out there — not only in the US but all over the world.

^ Max von Mayerling.

[quote]Where was James with the golfcart?

On the way to the 19th hole! Bromance >>> romance!

Did Babs fuck Omar Sharif and abort his child?

[Quote] As it stands, Britney Spears’ book is on track to open with the biggest first week sales in history, beating Prince Harry.

Sorry OP, but I need to see the receipts on this claim. I find it hard to believe.

Have no idea. I sure as hell won’t read it

Less than 24 hours after the “Gimme More” singer, 41, announced “The Woman in Me” will hit shelves on Oct. 24, the book has skyrocketed to the top of Amazon’s best-seller list with a price tag of $32.99.

I heard Harvey Fierstein is voicing the audio book. Including songs from the last tour.

[quote]Did Babs fuck Omar Sharif and abort his child?

That "abortion" was Jason SHARIF, bitches!

I’d probably be bored to tears and fall asleep on page 2

James and Jason are reportedly "deeply hurt and confused" by her decision to dedicate the book to herself, not them.

My issue with Babs's book is that she wrote it, and lord knows nobody would dare edit it. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Babs on Babs, forever and ever and evah. Conversely, it's pretty clear that Britney didn't write a word of hers (presumably a team was on hand to catch and weave some modicum of sense out of avalanches of word salad), so I'm not reading that one either. Their stories would be fascinating if tackled by a skilled, unbiased biographer.

Some poor editor at Viking managed to get it down from 1040 to 992 pages, but the rumor is that a chunk of that was removing the index.

Hmmm, the most talented and successful and awarded female entertainer of her lifetime and perhaps ever. Went to the top of every entertainment genre, stayed there and has been a lifelong philanthropist and liberal Democrat activist. Redefined the image of a leading lady and one of the greatest singers of songs ever- idolized and studied by those that followed her.

Friend and peer to Presidents, cabinet officers, prime ministers and European royalty all while never abandoning her Brooklyn persona a Jewish heritage.

Really how could this woman be interesting? Surely Britney Spears bio is more relevant to people?

Jesus there are brain dead idiots on this thread.

PS, her 2016 tour sold out and in NYC and LA was attended by the crème of the music and entertainment industries. Wonder why?

PS, I wouldn’t brag if you don’t know who she is. I’m sure you’re right up there with those who don’t know who their President and VP are-

R28, she dedicated it to her mother I believe-

[quote]Wonder why?

According to the grapevine, Babs was going to attempt to break the Guiness record of "Most Peanut M&Ms Inserted Up the Nose." Turned out just to be a rumor later to be found to be started by Streisand herself, to increase ticket sales. Dumb like a fox that one is.

Hi Barbra/r31!

Babs should have released this a decade and a half ago. She’s lost fans to time and age.

Britney’s bio sounds boring. All the “good” parts already leaked. I’m not buying a book to hear a white trash skank moan about an abortion two decades ago. Also, she takes zero accountability, she had the money and the autonomy to keep that baby, but puts all the blame on Justin. Typical Zillenial woman, anything bad that happened is everyone else’s fault.

I'm in total agreement with r31.

Streisand's super-stardom is well deserved, earned and undeniable.

Still, as a life-long Streisand fan, I'll wait for others to perform the labor of reading it her book and posting a review before I decide whether to purchase it.

It's paradoxical, but, as compelling a performer and talent that she is, I've always found her underwhelming as herself.

And I realized that while watching at least 2 or 3 of her interviews, the infamous "Oprah" interview where she went on to snooze-inducing effect about her home landscaping and interior design, being exhibit A.

I don't know that reading her book would be any different for me.

If Barbra fka Barbara wasn’t famous and wealthy she’d be living in Brooklyn and watching the neighbors out the front window, ready to call the cops.

R30 she decided to remove the index to stop looky-loo browsers from jumping to a page.

R28, that’s surprising. I thought Barbra and her mother had a strained relationship.

Mother is Brooklyn slang.

[quote]she decided to remove the index to stop looky-loo browsers from jumping to a page.

Don't be silly. Less ink for printing means more money for me.

[quote]Her market demographic is retired boomers, who have all the time (and money?) in the world, so 47 hours of listening to or reading Barbra is a drop in the bucket. They will make it a huge nostalgic bestseller.

Correction: her market demographic - older gay men from New York and LA who are obsessed with Broadway musicals and movies. In other words, DL posters.

If she never wrote an index, as opposed to it being cut by the editor which seems highly unlikely., she saved herself a tedious task. Non-fiction writers know how boring making an index is.

Ever been it one of her concerts R43? Women outnumber men two or three to one. Are women gay men? Those concerts are always sold out and the streaming shows that they produce huge successes and often Emmy winners. There really has never been anyone close to her over a 60 year career.

Her book will probably be a best seller. Not many on this thread know why, or know much about anything at all other than snark. Ignorance is in full view to anyone, but the ignorant.

They will be flying off the shelves at the shopping mall in the basement of her Malibu home.

R22 me, too.

But, of course it will!

Barbra is due to go on Howard Stern on November 7.

Also CBS Sunday Morning on November 5, and Stephen Colbert.

Fab!!!

[quote] On the day of publication, Spears posted on Instagram that her book had become “the highest selling celebrity memoir in history.” It is not, so far, even the highest selling memoir of 2023.

I can’t decide if OP is a butt-hurt Barbra fan or a delusional Britney one.

Like everything else she did after 1980, she waited ten years too long to do it.

[quote] There really has never been anyone close to her over a 60 year career.

***ahem***

[quote] There really has never been anyone close to her over a 60 year career.

***ahem, ahem***

ahem ahem ahem

AHEM!!!

Barbra's book like most of her albums will race up the charts and be a big hit! She's getting older; her fans have been waiting for this one--and she's led quite an extraordinary life. It will be a Very big hit!

Hi Jason/r58. You’re a good son.

Does she expect Howard to paint her mike white?

I don't think Barbra will go in person for her interviews. She'll either phone in or do it via cam. Or they go to her.

Harry's Spare sold 3.2 million.

Will Barbara Walters or Mike Wallace be doing the big interview?

R61 Babs doesn't seem to have taken her career too seriously since the 70s. Kinda sad since she was so talented both in music and movies

She wouldn’t write the index herself; the publisher does that.

So, she wanted to ensure people read it all the way through… typical controlling behavior.

Publishers don't write the index. They have the author write it.

R64 - how ridiculous. She directed 3 movies.

In academia (texts), indexes are done primarily by the publishers.

McCartney, Mathis, Jagger have had careers primarily in music, records and performing/concerts. Streisand has had that plus success at the very top of every other entertainment medium in multiple roles . And outside show business she has been a major political activist and philanthropist. There’s really been nothing quite like her- ever! Sinatra, Garland and Minnelli close.

“At the very top of every other entertainment medium in multiple roles”

EVERY other entertainment medium? Also, have you seen The Mirror Has Two Faces? Does that film seem like it was made by a director at the very top of that medium?

I'm ambivalent personally about Streisand, but r69 is right, there are few people who have reached the heights of success in show biz as she has as well as the length of time she's been in the spotlight. I'd put McCartney and Jagger up there, not necessarily Mathis or Bennett. That's about it.

Britney’s “The Woman in Me” Becomes #1 NYT Bestseller | 1.1 Million Sold First Week

What painting will Barbra purchase with the book’s proceeds?

I don't think the book will do all that well. Respectable but that's it.

R67 yes but think what she could have done if she'd truly applied herself. Most of her movies were little more than vanity projects or cash-grabs

Probably. People like reading about better days and she must have some entertaining stories.

In the book Streisand lists the names she was called as her star began to rise — "an amiable anteater, a sour persimmon, a furious hamster, a myopic gazelle, and a seasick ferret" — which she takes in good stride, while also admitting that even after all these years she's "still kinda hurt by the insults."

Streisand notes that when she began appearing in Funny Girl, the press went from describing her as some sort of anxious forest creature and more like a "Babylonian queen" with a "pharaonic profile."

"I must say, I loved those descriptions," the EGOT quips. Of being described as having "scarab eyes," Streisand says she assumed it was a compliment but admits "one of those eyes does look, well, a little cross-eyed at times." As much as she's still hurt by the insults, Streisand also "can't quite believe the praise."

Over the years, the singer and actress has learned to avoid any press about her as "half the time I don't recognize the person that they portray." She gives an example of her favorite activity, going to the dentist, where she picked up a magazine to find a story about her friend Neil Diamond's brother and the $15,000 bathtub he invented that the magazine claimed Streisand had bought.

"I didn't even know my friend Neil had a brother and now I'm being used to sell his bathtub?" Streisand notes.

Stephen Colbert interview to be broadcast November 13.

"Barbra Streisand generously invited me to visit her at her California home where she granted me an extended interview covering everything from her famous romances to her famous close dogs,"

I think Streisand is a very good director, the problem is her vanity won out in mirror. Her obsession with being seen by men as desirable was more important to her.

That’s why Sondheim told her she could either direct or star in Gypsy, but not both.

He was an asshole, but he was right.

R80, Cloned, not close.

Amazon has reduced the Audiobook version from $61 to $56.

I just can’t imagine Barbra on Howard Stern. He is beneath her.

Do you think you’ll ever amount to a pile of shit?

Nobody under 50 knows who the fuck she is. And they certainly aren’t going to pay for her book.

[quote] If Barbra fka Barbara wasn’t famous and wealthy she’d be living in Brooklyn and watching the neighbors out the front window, ready to call the cops.

I can see Barbra as a high-end Realtor. She'd be staging the hell out of all of her properties. I can see her as president of her HOA, as well. Watching neighbors out the front window? No.

Besides her aging Boomer fans, who the hell wants to read a 992 page memoir? Even the audio version is 48 hours, 15 minutes long. HARD PASS!!!

Correction: Aging Boomers and Post-War fans

[quote] who the hell wants to read a 992 page memoir?

What the hell? Bill and Hillary Clinton put out memoirs around the same time. Bill's was way too long and needed editing. Hillary's was an easier read, but this was before she ran for POTUS, etc. You could tell she was holding back.

I could see Barbra being the board president of one of the better co-ops on Riverside Drive.

Does she address the claim she wouldn't have won the Oscar for Funny Girl if she hadn't voted for herself?

No one likes Barbra who’s worked with her. Even Rutanya Alda of “Mommie Dearest” fame ripped her a new one in her book. Babs is insanely cruel to people who work with her and under her. Babs has what amounts to a sixth grade education. She should be more humble and thank her lucky stars that she hit the jackpot. Her embarrassing web site essays are infamous. She’s beyond stupid. Hell, this book probably took forever due to all the misspellings and grammatical errors. She’s had a very interesting life but this book will be her version of it and we all know how that goes. Perhaps it will become a camp classic.

R93 what did she say about Babs?

Wtf with books costing 35$!!!

If you get a free audible 30 day trial you can download it and listen to Bar read you her life. Won't cost a dime if you cancel in 30 days (and keep the book).

Barry Gibb is kind of circumspect, but it sounds like he though Barbra was difficult.

The audiobook version will also include numerous songs.

“There are also musical excerpts spanning her entire oeuvre, from her movies, albums, and Broadway productions,” the publisher says. “The over 40 songs include 'The Way We Were,' 'Woman in Love,' 'Evergreen,' as well as songs from the movies Yentl and Funny Girl and many more.”“

Will Babs be the voice for the audio book? Britney Spears didn't narrate her own book.

I'm looking forward to her interview with Stephen Colbert. He flew out to California so he could do it.

I hate her outfits in these promotional interviews. She looks like a bag lady.

I love her. She can do no wrong. I don't care how she dresses or how much plastic surgery she has had, or how scraggily her hair looks. She is the absolute complete Divinity. No one else is even close.

[quote]Britney Spears didn't narrate her own book.

Britney can't read.

I gave r102 a W&W for strong point of view.

I may not agree totally with it. but still.

R99, Yes, she is the Audiobook’s reader.

[quote]Publishers don't write the index. They have the author write it.

Um, my co-writer and my publisher did the index on our 500-word actress biography.

People magazine devotes a whole issue to Barbra.

R106 - 500 words? Is it a pamphlet?

Oh no the CBS News Sunday Morning interview is by Gayle King.

KING: "What do you want people to get out of this book? What do you want them to know about you?"

STREISAND: "I want them to know the truth. …You know, one of the reasons I wrote the book is to … talk about the myths about me."

We know the truth about this fat lazy pig.

Barbara’s plastic surgery face is SCARY!!!

I’m surprised Colbert’s interview isn’t being aired on the 7th, the book’s publication date.

[quote]People magazine devotes a whole issue to Barbra.

Is that the luckiest "People" in the world?

The only thing most people under 35 know her for is a South park episode that mocked her. Her fanbase is mostly dead.

R97, he did an interview with, I believe, 60 Minutes Australia a few years ago. Surprisingly, he said something like he wouldn't work with her again because of her anger. The honesty was shocking.

Barbra Streisand talks with "CBS News Sunday Morning" about her life, loves and memoir: Sunday, November 5 at 9am. Streisand opens up to "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King

Award-winning singer, actor and director Barbra Streisand says the loss of her father when she was just 15 months old left a big hole in her life, in a revealing interview on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

"My Name Is Barbra" to be published Tuesday, November 7. 2023.

[quote] what did she say about Babs?

That she’s cruel and that Barbra likes to chalk it up to being a perfectionist. She isn’t. She’s mean because she’s mean. It goes beyond the project. It’s simply who she is.

Mike Wallace hated her with a passion and tells her to her face that he doesn’t like her.

I lost all respect for Mike Wallace after he did that interview. Never liked him much, but that was the final straw. Rotten Fucker. His son is a much better interviewer than he was.

She got him back in the Mike Wallace documentary, saying You are a son-of-a-bitch.

How many times do we have to hear about her father dying?

Mike was rude to Bette Davis too but she just rolled her eyes at him.

Also he was rude to his crew and Barbra quips, And they say I'M difficult!

R122, He was incredibly rude to Gloria Swanson in this 1957 interview.

R117 - wasn't the story that Rutanya was an extra on Hello, Dolly!?

Wallace was a real diva. A complete bastard. Self righteous, judgemental, a know it all, aggressive and not in a good way..

Listen to Barbra

No one under 50 should brag about not knowing who Streisand is. As for 6th grade education and not being smart. Graduated with honors from Erasmus High in Brooklyn at 16. She is one of the most intelligent people in show business. Ever listened to her talk at Harvard about the artist as activist? Do you suppose she has and had close friendships with the Clintons, Madeline Albright, Pierre Trudeau and others because she’s dumb. She can tell you the voting records of almost every Representative and Senator in the US Congress. God there are real idiots on DL.

Footage from Colbert interview.

There is a pic of Gayne King with Barbra in what looks like The Mall.

She hasn't done much in the last 20+ years, but at least she isn't pathetically in need of public affirmation like Cher.

Cher is writing her own book.

Cher has been doing farewell tours for how long---pathetic. And Barbra is a much better singer and perfectionist not a slob.

her fan base is mostly women, especially Jewish women. They'll buy her book. They're probably the women who populated the audience when I saw Carrie Fisher's one woman show--they were almost as much fun as Carrie---going on about the Eddie Fisher -Debbie Reynolds thing when Carrie brought it up, among other times.

R131 = Madonna

If Barbra was any fun she would drive over to Britney's and take a turn on the stripper pole. Britney has some cool boots to loan, too.

BDSM Barbra!

I have to say I’m full of appreciation for all you who are defending Barbra. I feel the same way. She has given me enormous pleasure for decades - and some of my best friendships were forged through a mutual Barbra love engendered in our teenage years. Later on it became a little love/hate sometimes with her seeming nonsense but JFC the woman is a legend. One of the greatest stars ever - and I think deservedly so. So I’ll stand up for her too when professional dicks like Mike Wallace serve up gratuitous nastiness for a transparent ratings grab.

Here here R137

Hear Hear *

I tried to find the pic of Gayle and Barbra in her mall to attach here but could not. However I found pics of them at other events so I guess they have a herstory.

Britney cannily described herself has having the highest first week “Celebrity” sales which could describe Harry, but in this case he would be “Royal” because he sold a few hundred thousand more than her.

Hey Barb! If y'all want to sell some books, best to get a picture of yer cooter on instagram! Always works! Your welcome!

R131, she has recorded several top selling albums, had several sold out concert tours (with top selling DVDs and recording documenting) in the last 20 years. She has built a women’s heart study center at Cedar Sinai in LA and been a principle fund raiser for Democrats in the US. You’re kind of clueless, aren’t you?

Her voice sounds husky and she over enunciates.

Her work with women's health initiatives is very impressive. My mother adores her! ADORES her! As do we all in our house.

R144, let’s see what you sound like at 81, troll.

Yes, the voice did start getting husky around age 59 but she had a beautiful tone that was unparalleled until then.

Barbra's book will be a smash!

SCARY FACE!!!

Meow

What movie offers should Barbra have accepted?

I don't know if I'll read her book but I loved reading this thread, you guys are hilarious, not being sarcastic.

[quote] It's paradoxical, but, as compelling a performer and talent that she is, I've always found her underwhelming as herself.[/quote]

My thoughts too, I always came away a little disappointed with her interviews. She comes off guarded and defensive, understandably to some extent. She wanted people to praise her acting and directing and was annoyed when they called her a singer. "I think of myself as an actress who can sing, not a singer who can act." Sorry Barbra, I'm here for the singing.

I was just looking up her tours, she really hasn't done any big world tours with loads of shows like Milder or Cher. I know she is into property and art, and not knocking her choices but I'm surprised she didn't use more of her free time to act.

Lazy ass bitch.

[qoute][R106] - 500 words? Is it a pamphlet?

My apologies. 500-page biography. About a most famous for her time but now forgotten actress. My co-writer and I were dreading the chore when they said they'd be glad to do it.

And, it seems I can't spell "quote" worth shit.

R154, she's admitted that many times.

[quote]There’s no index, so would-be browsers can’t cheat. A genius move—was it her choice? She laughs. Absolutely. If she could plug away for 10 years writing this exhaustive, exhilarating account of her life—leaving blood on the page, per her editor’s request—then we can do her the courtesy of reading it from start to finish.

Didn't her editor tell her that anyone reading the ebook can "cheat" using Search?

There ain't nobody paying thirty-two dollars for this shit.

R159, bet there is.

Perfectionists procrastinate.

Is Barbra donating the proceeds to her worthy causes? She doesn't need anymore money!

R158, And anyone familiar with her life would know where in the book a certain incident or person in her life would appear among the 900+ pages.

[quote]Is Barbra donating the proceeds to her worthy causes?

What? I’m not a worthy cause?

R155 - who is your subject? A 500 page book is pretty hefty.

Sounds like AI reading the book.

[quote] "For 40 years, publishers have been asking me to write my autobiography," she continues, "but I kept turning them down because I prefer to live in the present rather than dwell on the past. And the fact is, I'm scared that after six decades of people making up stories about me...I'm going to tell the truth, and nobody is going to believe it."

She is so full of shit. lol

I can just see Barbra saying that while waving her claw nails at face level.

BARBRA STREISAND has revealed she had a flirty relationship with King Charles, writing in her new book that she did not realise how much he fancied her.

The unlikely friendship with the “utterly charming” royal is disclosed in the singer’s upcoming memoir, My Name Is Barbra.

[quote]I'm scared that after six decades of people making up stories about me...I'm going to tell the truth, and nobody is going to believe it."

Don't worry dear, nobody's going to read it anyway.

[quote] BARBRA STREISAND has revealed she had a flirty relationship with King Charles

That’s not a relationship, Babs.

Chapter 159: Charles Was My Real-Life Prince of Tides!

How many copies will Barbra buy for herself for her underground bookstore?

Jason is going to get a copy on all eight nights of Hanukkah this year.

She's such an asshole.

The CBS Sunday Morning interview is the same stories she's been telling for the past 60 years. Maybe there was not much there after all.

Babs on Howard Stern is actually the most interesting component in all of this. Thanks, R49!

Barbra said all the same stuff in the 1990s while doing the press junket for her comeback/farewell tour.

Bunch of gents did a worship intro to the Gayle thing.

No sex with young Colin Farrell? Didn't he fuck all the old diva pussy in Tinseltown?

No threesomes with Vadim & Fonda?

Babs really has atrocious taste in movies. She turned down Klute, Cabaret, Julia and The Exorcist but made lots of forgotten shite instead?

R181, that was actually pretty interesting, unlike the Gayle puff piece. Funny the two flaming fags never talked about the pink elephant in the room....Barbra and the gays.

[quote] Her fling with Agassi, 28 years her junior, also clearly left a mark.

The singer says she did not even know who the tennis ace was when Las Vegas casino tycoon Steve Wynn told her the star was an admirer.

Agassi, 53, later called her to say how much he had admired her 1991 film The Prince Of Tides — and they were on the phone for two hours.

Barbra says: “It was a completely unexpected relationship, and it was fun.

“He sent me six dozen roses after one dinner.

“He came out to the ranch.

“I re­member playing tennis with him as my partner in doubles, and I was trying so hard that I tore my meniscus (knee cartilage).

“I actually heard it pop, but I didn’t want to stop, even to ice it, as I didn’t want to look like a wimp.”

Her time with actor Beatty, 86, was obviously less memorable.

Describing how she was recently talking politics on the phone with him, she says he told her he remembered why they broke up.

She had to ask when they had been together. And when she hung up, she wondered if she had ever slept with him.

She writes that she “kind of” remembers, adding: “I guess I did. Probably once.”

I’ll read it, but I don’t plan on buying it. There were a lot of links to pdf copies of Britney’s book floating around on the day it was released and I’m hoping the same happens for this one.

Did Barb ever go nude in a movie like Fonda and Dunaway?

R188 she showed her breasts in the Owl and the Pussycat. The VHS featured it but the DVD and digital downloads have had the scene cut.

Why does this woman refuse to put color on her face, especially her lips??? Why would you want to look so washed out? Combine that with the frizzy hair and she looked a mess on Sunday Morning. But the thing is, she doesn't have to! She would still look wonderful if properly styled.

In the X-rated cut of "Yentl," she went full-frontal in an erotic masturbatory sequence sparked by the enticing sight of Avigdor's bare ass.

R189 . . .

She doesn’t remember banging Warren?!

Not bad tits! Nicer than Faye's anyway which always looked pointed and a bit, dare I say..angry!

Ahem.

NYT review

[quote]Publishers don't write the index. They have the author write it. —published author

Honey, please don't tell me you think she actually wrote this book herself.

Do you really think she worked into the wee hours of the morning with her pen in hand?

Not surprised that Barbara would include lengthy reviews of people praising her.

Well, these quotes made me laugh:

[quote]“I thought we were going to have an affair,” the married Mandy Patinkin tearily implored her during “Yentl."

[quote]“I’m the mother! She’s nothing without me!” - Diana Kind

[quote]Planning her wedding to the actor James Brolin in 1998, she tried to winnow down a long list of desserts before deciding “We’ll just have them all … why not?”

Amazon released the Audiobook at 3:00 AM.

Listening now.

I know . . . MARY!

"She needs to say things like that to kind of, you know, give her a little boost," Fonda told Cohen. "You have to feel sorry for her. It's been a tough life. She needs something to boost her up."

Janet Fonda’s response to Babs saying that she made her career by not taking the roles Jane made famous

I wonder if Barbra will discuss when she tried to sue a photographer for $50 million for photographing her property and gave us what has become known as the "Streisand effect".

Apparently she does discuss TSE

My gawd, the audiobook version is a 1.4 GB download. That’s like up there with Tolstoy and Dumas.

I don’t know how well this will do, she’s got a lot of competition with new releases from John Stamos and Henry Winkler last week.

When does volume two come out?

You can definitely listen to this at 1.5x narration speed.

Or just not listen to it at all.

Gurl I saw that interview with Gayle King! Barbra needs to stop all cosmetic procedures , if she proceeds it will be tragic! Her hubby James Brolin was featured on the interview, ZERO plastic surgery , looked rugged and handsome for his advanced years. I wonder if one of the "stores" in her "mall" sold bed and bath linens ?

I’m 40 mins. in and I LOVE IT. Young Barbra is hilarious, so precocious.

I just got it. Barnes and Noble had already sold a few this morning.

Makesh me want to write my shtory.

I'm a few chapters into the book and am enjoying it. Her writing is OK, in spite of the clichés ("I was like a sponge at this time, drinking everything in"; "I was like an open vessel, waiting to be filled"), but it's her story itself, discovering her talent and a thriving community of actors and musicians in Manhattan, that is fun and entertaining to hear recounted.

I’m on Chapter 3 and think the book could have been subtitled “What I Love, What I Hate, and What I Ate.” I’ve always wondered how the subjects of biographies and autobiographies can remember the smallest details of their lives (unless they were journaling already as a child). How in the world does Barbra remember what she ate when she had for dinner at someone’s home when she was a kid? I can’t remember what I had for lunch.

As someone whose ancestors lived in an even poorer Brooklyn Jewish ghetto than Barbra’s family did, I have to say I have some empathy for her and admiration for her determination and ability to rise up out of it. My ancestors did it, too, but of course not at the level Streisand did. I was lucky to be born after my parents had gotten out of where they lived in NYC.

I’m sure Rosie is bummed Streisand didn’t do her podcast to promote the book

She says in the prologue that she did keep journals and that they were "invaluable" when she wrote the memoir. I agree that she is going overboard with the recording of her likes and dislikes for posterity, no matter how minor (e.g., colors); and it's odd how she repeatedly links a particular preference for, or aversion to, something to one event from her childhood, as if all personal tastes can be analyzed in terms of one-and-done cause/effect. Still, in spite of being familiar with her life and many of the anecdotes, her writing is good enough to draw me in and make the story of her success fresh and fun to read.

Thanks, R216. I had forgotten she wrote that in the Prologue. Wow, imagine being such an anal-retentive kid that you’d write down what you ate. That kind of tells me she was obsessed with the details of her life even as a little kid.

Who was asking for this? Seems like it was mainly "long-awaited" only in her head.

Oops R216, I meant to sign as R214, not R215 (Barbra would have gotten it right)!

My name is Jess . . .

This book needed an editor. Good god. Her ego is out of control, not to mention how boring she is.

The audio book is over 48 hours.

"We've got Barbra Streisand, I think she's nice and she's got such poise and she's got such elegance. It's a joy to have her on my showww. DARLING!"

"JUDY, it's great to be with you..."

"Be my guest, be my guest."

"You know I've been a fan of yours since I was TWO."

"Be my guest, be my guest."

"Hwell hif hI hreally am youah guest, I have a small request...?"

"ANYTHING you want to do..."

"Anthing?"

"ANYTHING!"

"Can I replace you?"

"Be my guest, be my guest!"

Saw it at B&N. The thing weighs 50 lbs Near 1000 pages. She sure thinks a lot if herself. I’ll wait until to buy a used copy.

R215 - Rosie got Charles Busch instead.

Charles is way more interesting.

Someone made a comment about how Mandy Patinkin was trouble on Yentl. Does anyone know why? I assumed she has actors sign a NDA. That is presumably what is keeping Richard Dreyfuss silent about her rocky relationship with Martin Ritts on Nuts.

The audiobook is the way to go, apparently you can get it from Audible for like $6. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include a PDF of photos, etc. which is surprising. (Even Sally Field’s memoir included this.)

However, you do get Streisand’s companionable narration which is full of quips and asides, as well as music clips.

In terms of the flow, she is a good writer. The whole thing feels like a candid conversation with her, which is what she is offering - not just the story but a document of who she is, full of detail, explanation and insight, which promises to get even more insightful as her career retrospective progresses. It’s a must for Barbra fans. But probably too much for the casual listener/reader.

It’s not a criticism or any fault of hers but I don’t know how without a full knowledge of the career anyone would be able to listen to this though I suppose that’s true of any memoir, particularly that of a showbiz legend like Barbra. But it will definitely be a valuable companion to that career going forward and could be called “Barbra Has Her Say.”

She’s very generous with her thoughts about acting, singing and living, likely also directing, which makes it a manual for her artistry as well. She’s just hilarious too, going on about her love of Stouffer’s tv dinners, etc. The food stuff is so funny but also down to earth and reassuring to know: Streisand never had an eating disorder.

Haterz gonna hate but I’ll take my 48 hours with Barbra. I’m enjoying every minute of it.

I find her recall of detail fascinating and even she remarks on the nature of memory itself. At one point, early on, she refers to one such memory as “misty and water-coloured.” She’s clever with it.

The aspect of “found family” is something she shares with a lot of gay people and says something about our mutual identification with her and her with us. She refers to a number of people, genuinely, as family.

It’s fun to hear her knock the myths and showbiz legends of her career on the head - and amazing to be reminded that some of these stories (the gum on the chair) have been around for decades, since the ‘70s, way before the internet.

It’s also heartening that she’s the same Barbra she’s always been - what she says in the prologue is the same thing she’s been saying since 1976 or on ‘77’s Streisand Superman when she recorded Don’t Believe What You Read. The Streisand who was attacked by Rush Limbaugh in the ‘90s was the same Barbra who made The Way We Were and presented her personal politics and moral standards as more important than boning Bob Redford.

The attention to detail she brought to her filmmaking, particularly the still one-of-a-kind production of Yentl, for which she received so much criticism is the same eye for detail that makes the career of a male director like David Fincher. You can’t deny it. And yet somehow, Barbra was always vulnerable to attack. (My opinion, not necessarily hers.)

I doubt she recounts Sam Neill's interview for Yentl. He recently reported on it. Said he sat on a couch with Barbra and she sang to him playing Avigdor. But Sam didn’t like her voice and found the whole experience uncomfortable.

I’m up to “The Way We Were” on the Audiobook.

Honestly, it’s better than I anticipated.

Some of her revelations are hilarious, like describing Sue Mengers swimming naked in her pool in front of son Jason.

Fonda and Streisand are friends. Streisand has repeated the “career” comment in jest a number of time always followed up with admiration for Fonda. And Fondas comeback is also tongue in cheek- she needs to bolster herself etc. Fonda well knows her friend has had an extraordinary life- and is poking fun at the question. No animosity here.

In the book, she claims to have turned down “They Shoot Horses Don’t They?”, “Klute”, “Julia”, “Cabaret” and “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”.

She was angry that the art department removed the bump on her nose for this album cover.

She wore her own clothes and ring for this photo shoot, adding the turban because she did not want to wait to have her hair done.

I'm 10 pages in and I'm really enjoying it. It is funny, interesting and endearing. She is an excellent storyteller. You can hear her telling you the story (I'm reading the book). I was a big fan starting at 13 for many years, then she got on my nerves for a lot reasons sometime in the 80s, I'm falling in love with her again.

Does she mention the gum under the seat story?

Yes.

"Listen, I wouldn't have left my gum on their chair, spoiling their property. That's not nice. The truth is I pulled it off before I got off, and started to chew it again. There was still some flavor left in it."

R220 I know it's in your link, not your own text, but Jess is NOT Bab's son.

What's the gum rumor? I hope Babs doesn't bring up lots of stories best forgotten to have them bandied about again, like Streisand effect #2

Thats here most ravishing album cover. Would have been just as beautiful had the bump been left.

Very sorry Hurrell never photographed her . He wanted to.

r234: I mean THE WAY WE WERE album cover

Awww R228 so glad to hear that. NOW I'm looking forward to it. I've gone through my phases with her from obsession with the Broadway Album and a VHS of her on Ed Sullivan to quoting Camille Paglia and dismissing her: "She's refined herself out of existence."

But, im the end, she's our quintessential DIVA against whom all divas are compared. She's SIMPLY BARBRA! And I'm so here for it.

Our Barbra has turned into a nice little Malibu bubbe.

Barbra should have produced and starred in Hello, Dolly in Broadway years ago. Won a legitimate Tony and made a killing.

I’m sure the Hello, Dolly! revival producers approached her before they signed Bette Midler.

If Barbra had not turned down Klute and Cabaret then Diana Ross might have won in 1972 for Lady Sings The Blues? Assuming she was brilliant and won again for Klute in 1971, there's no way they'd give her a third the following year for Cabaret..

In the first part of the memoir, which I'm enjoying, Barbra reminds me a lot of Liza's Pookie Adams in "The Sterile Cuckoo." Brash, determined, and very self-consciously quirky, but almost hypersensitive and defenseless when exposed. She writes that, "I never really felt intimated by anyone," which seems true, but she's nonetheless grappling with a lot of pain and emotion (channeling a lot of the feelings into her singing and acting). The odd thing is that as she tells her own story it's great fun to read about, but she says in the BBC interview that she hasn't had much fun in life... I think Pookie would say something similar to that.

Jane Fonda reports that Julia was originally to be directed by Nicolas Roeg and the story far more obviously lesbian. She would not have wanted to star in that.

Princess Diana once saved Barbra Streisand from an embarrassing moment, the singer recalled in her new book.

at the London premiere of "The Prince of Tides," she sat with the Princess during the screening. at one point during the screening, Diana encouraged her to stand to accept applause for the film. She gave her a "little push," then helped her avoid a potential wardrobe malfunction as she stood.

"The zipper on my skirt had come down a bit as I was sitting," Streisand remembered, "and she noticed and quickly started to zip it up for me as I got to my feet."

She added, "When I finally sat down, Diana turned to me and asked, ‘Do you know how wonderful you are?’"

[quote]She added, "When I finally sat down, Diana turned to me and asked, ‘Do you know how wonderful you are?’"

Yeah, that happened.

Later, when Diana was leaving the theater, she complimented me on my nails and lashes, and then, looking directly at me, soulfully and with tears in her eyes, she whispered, "Goodbye, Gorgeous!"

Some Howard Stern

I found this book very inspiring !!

More

Stern 3

She keeps joking about willing her desires into reality, but one gets the sense that she actually means it.

R252 I like her last sentence in that Howard Stern interview. "I had to go and sing, to do that". Meaning to make the money she needed. She was pissed having lost a potential fortune on What's up Doc? The way she says it show her ambivalence about being a singing star.

As it stands, Britney Spears’ book is on track to open with the biggest first week sales in history, beating Prince Harry.

Puhleeze. As though Britney fans can read.

Stern 4

Has her brother Sheldon ever been interviewed?

Isn’t it a flop?

Who knew Howard Stern was a such a Barbrafan?

She must be the only person both Charles and Diana flirted with.

R234, the nails ruin it.

She should have released this 15+ years ago.

Yikes - Howard Stern was mean to Roslyn Kind.

Stern 5

R238, True, but she refers to Josh’s children as her grandchildren and they are not.

[quote] Her hubby James Brolin was featured on the interview, ZERO plastic surgery , looked rugged and handsome for his advanced years

Oh come on. Yes, her surgery is a tad Wildenstein. But can’t shame her for not aging as well as James freaking Brolin, one of the most handsome men of his generation.

R268, they are legally by marriage, FYI.

R270, Then so are Brolin’s children.

Does she talk about Barry Dennen in her book?

BBC Breakfast.

R272 she does, and she discussed him with Howard too.

In the book, she says when she met Barry Dennen he was going by Barré.

And the tapes he wouldn't give up?

This book is dedicated to the father I never knew . . . and the mother I did.

"Barry and I remained friends, but later, after he refused to return some tapes of me singing, I just put him out of my life. ... I will always be grateful to him for believing in me when I was a teenager. But in 1997, he wrote a book about me and made up this crazy love affair between us. I was so hurt I couldn't read it."

IIRC his book says she reached out to him after a long estrangement to ask for the tapes. So he was not in her life for a long time for her to put him out again.

The Hello, Gorgeous book goes deep into the relationship with Barry Dennen but in her book she either denies it or skirts over it. The HG book does have the ring of truth to it. There’s nothing negative in it. It just makes more sense in telling how a 16 year-old girl went from awkward ambitious teen to nightclub chanteuse and Broadway star in 5 years - with the help of at least two very tasteful men, one bi, one gay.

Barbra doesn’t really talk about it in her book and, comparatively, makes little reference to how she achieved the style of her “Kookie Barbra” phase (as it was called). Maybe she wasn’t aware of the support she had. Dennen apparently did a lot of coaching with her and, he says, was her first boyfriend/lover. His friend, Bob, was like a window dressing, dept. store, fashion guy who designed her makeup, her looks and fashion, etc.

R280, The HG book also paints a much different version of her relationship with Sydney Chaplin than she reveals in her autobiography.

No one's shaming her for aging, R269. It's not our fault she fought it by taking a picture of Ron Perlman to the surgeon's office.

Mandy Patinkin is revealed as a total asshole in the book.

It will be interesting to see if he releases a comment or is asked about the assertions in the book in an interview.

R280, she explains the creation of her look as totally opposite of what Dennen said in his book. According to Dennen, Schulenberg (sp?) designed the makeup. He would do one side of her face and she would do the other to try to imitate it. In her book, none of that happened. She came up with it all, copying the Egyptian eyeliner from the mummies she saw at The Met. Also, according to her book, all Schulenberg ever did was complement her looks and do sketches of her face. I saw the interview he did but I don't remember any of it, which suggests he basically said what Dennen did in his book.

It sort of unnerves me that I know all this shit!

what did Mandy do that was so bad apart from wanting to have an affair?

R285, Constantly being rude and shouting at underlings on the set, acting in such a way that made it difficult for his screen partners, i. e. never looking Streisand or Amy Irving in the eye, wanting to improvise rather than stick to the script.

R285 she also wrote that he was so disinterested in any situation where he wasn’t getting all the attention, that he basically fell asleep.

How did he and Patti get along? Did the crazy of both just cancel out the cuntiness?

Streisand claims that Patinkin was the only person who "disturbed my equilibrium" throughout the film's shooting, given that he was allegedly often uncooperative on set.

Streisand claims that Patinkin was behaving irrationally and was irritated on set, and so she wanted to talk to him.

During an intense discussion in her dressing room at the start of the film's shooting, Streisand recalled what the now 70-year-old Patinkin said, "'I thought we were going to have a more personal relationship,'" as per PEOPLE.

Streisand continued, "'What?' I had no idea what he was talking about. [Patinkin says] 'I thought we were going to have an affair.'"

Streisand claimed that after Patinkin's remarks, she "looked at him as if he were crazy."

She further wrote in her book: "1) I would never have an affair with an actor I was directing, 2) he was married, and 3) I wasn't at all attracted to him."

"But I couldn't tell him he was not exactly fascinating to me. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I simply said, 'I don't operate that way.' Tears rolled down his cheeks," she added.

Furthermore, Streisand recounted having to threaten to replace Patinkin in the movie if he continued his challenging behavior on set, which she claimed made her life "miserable" for several months.

In the end, she even rewrote a sequence in which her character was meant to share a bed with Patinkin, stating, "Now that I look back on it, I wonder if I allowed my frustration with Mandy to overrule my instincts."

She also talked of mentoring the actor through several scenes with differing degrees of success, at a time when he had only been in films for a few years after starring in 'The Big Fix' in 1978.

Things were finally resolved when the Bergmans stepped up. They said they had written a new song for Mandy to sing and asked him to meet with them. When he appeared Alan got him in a headlock and Marilyn bitch-slapped until Mandy promised to be good.

[quote] In the end, she even rewrote a sequence in which her character was meant to share a bed with Patinkin, stating, "Now that I look back on it, I wonder if I allowed my frustration with Mandy to overrule my instincts."

She had planned to have Avigdor shtupp AnshelYentl after the revealation scene.

...but after he made her life miserable for months, she just could not bear the thought of making love to him.

I´m not that good an actress,she writes.

I had to have read Dennen's book, but the hell if I remember when I did.

This thread has me recalling that I read where he quoted himself telling Streisand, many years into her stardom, during a telephone call, and after she laments to him she isn't sure where next to take her career, something like (paraphrase) "Get out there and concertize again."

Dennen is, essentially, claiming credit for encouraging her to start preparing for her 1994 concert tour.

For whatever reason, the Dennen Streisand (Ooops. Sorry Ms. Streisand, let me correct that billing) the Streisand Dennen relationship interests me.

I haven't read her book yet. I wasn't going to buy it. I'm bored by her in her interviews, although she is a compelling talent and I've always been a fan.

But after the reviews and reading this thread, it's in the running to be my annual Christmas present to myself.

Did she end up buying those recordings Dennen wouldn't give up to her from his estate?

I read it and it gave me the cold grue

Does she include any beloved recipes?

Are there any sales figures out for this book?

No actual recipes, but she sure loves to nosh, and includes a lot of delectable memories of her favorite foods. She is crazy about Chinese food (and actually worked in a Chinese restaurant owned by her neighbors in Brooklyn); she became friends with James Wong Howe, the great veteran Hollywood cinematographer whose last movie was "Funny Lady," and when he found out her favorite dish was cha siu bao (roasted pork buns), he brought her some homemade ones, which she raves about. It turned out that Howe had owned a Chinese restaurant in Studio City for 10 years.

The chapter on recording her first album is wonderful. (It´s available in the googlebooks preview)

Who knew Arthur Laurents was the original "She copies Lena Horne-troll?"

His letter to her trashing the first album is brutal theater-queen at its not so finest and her response astounding!

Nice to know she loved Peter Matz and got serious with him in the 70ies.

R297, She never kept a copy of her response. Someone found it in Arthur’s papers after he died and sent her a copy.

She was convinced his brutal analysis was left over resentment from Wholesale.

R284, yeah, I noticed. And in HG, didn’t it say that Bob Schulberg (?) showed her how to layer false eyelashes or something like that? And then in her book she said she couldn’t be bothered with anything like that.

I don’t think there’s anything nefarious going on, I think she’s probably just a little self-centred about it all. The mythology that Streisand perpetuated throughout the ‘70s, that she was this total and individual creation, etc. was always a bit hard to buy - especially when her fashion sense went south in the ‘70s. That she had help launching herself into the New York club scene of the early ‘60s just makes more sense.

God, re: Patinkin, you know you’re trouble when Streisand thinks your difficult.

Isn’t the story she tells about Patinkin embarrassing for him? Does she expect any push back on this?

Patinkin’s wife most already know too well how crazy he is.

Why was Arthur Laurents such a cunt? I mean, by all accounts, he was one of the biggest cunts that ever cunted.

And all he did was write the books for West Side Story - which, honestly, was never as good as Lehman’s screenplay - and Gypsy, both of which must have been improved immeasurably by Jerome Robbins and Stephen Sondheim. Otherwise, he was just an astounding mediocrity. With a super cute boyfriend.

He certainly thought a lot of himself.

Even Laurents’ dear friend Mary Rodgers tears into him in her book, Shy. “Talent excuses everything except Arthur Laurents.” When a journalist asked her to comment on AL she replied, “Call me back when he’s dead.”

His letter to BS after her first album is so incredibly nasty - basically saying she had a chance and blew it - and now her career is over. Implying if she’d listened to him she might have had a shot at success. It’s just gratuitously nasty.

👆🏻oh p.s. kind of dying to read the AL autobiography and see what he says…

[quote]Why was Arthur Laurents such a cunt?

I think you answered your own question, R302. He was a middling talented buoyed by all the genius that surrounded him, and he overcompensated by being a dick.

*a middling talent

Barry Dennen died in 2017. Anyone know what happened to those tapes? Does she say in her book? I'm up to her initial meetings with the Bergmans and Jule Styne. I'm really loving this book, much, much more than I ever expected.

Some of it is laugh-out-loud funny, all of it fascinating.

I’m enjoying it too, but I’m up to the premier of the Funny Girl movie and am finding Babs cumulatively unlikable, especially in the way she quotes every single compliment she’s been given in person or in the press. Had she been more judicious in her self-praise the book would be both better and half as long.

The large print edition should do well.

👆🏻No mention in MNIB about what happened to the tapes - except she says she asked for them back many years later and he declined to return them and she cut him off. I think I remember him saying in another book (?) that they would record her trying out new material and he would coach her on delivery.

R310, In MNIB, she says Dennen sent the tapes to a man for analysis, etc. and that man claimed they were lost and he sent Dennen back two blank replacement tapes as compensation. She claims in the book the tapes were never found.

She also insists that her relationship with Dennen was never sexual and they slept in separate beds while living together, telling neighbors they were cousins.

In fact, she suspected Dennen was gay. When he told her he had a son, she then assumed he was bisexual.

I had to take a break before beginning “When I Fucked Pierre Trudeau” chapter.

I think it’s odd that she can talk about Judy and working with Vincente Minelli and never really mention Liza.

I’m looking forward to hearing all about the making of The Main Event. lol

Some of Barbra's die hard fans will buy the book, skim around the chapters on The Way We Were and A Star is Born, then put it on the shelf after reading 20 pages. Others will just put it on the shelf and never read one page. The other 96% of the living public will avoid it like the plague. I'd say the book might be a moderate success for what it is if it gets that many sales.

It's a weird book. 100 pages could be edited - the ones where she goes on forever posting movie dialog. Doesn't she realize that her fans ALREADY KNOW the dialog from these movies? Someone should introduce her to home video, I have a VCR I can lend her...

That being said, I love the scene she extended in a new cut of TWWW because it finally explains why the couple broke up.

R312, She does speak of “The Main Event, albeit briefly.

You will be disappointed to know Streisand does NOT dish much about the short affairs she had with co-stars. In fact, with Sidney Chaplain and Omar Sharif it hard to figure out if she even slept with either of them. She calls it a "flirtation," an "attraction."

[quote]Why was Arthur Laurents such a cunt?

Laurents was always a cunt. He was less of a cunt to Babs.

[quote]Graduated with honors from Erasmus High in Brooklyn at 16

She graduated a little more than a year early. Not a "genius" for that.

R313, That’s where/when the audio version is better. We hear those scenes and musical interludes, plus her asides/ad libs, which are not in the book.

R315, She claims to have graduated in January of 1959, three months shy of 17.

Oh God, the flowers in her window box just changed color because she wanted them to.

I didn't except to read about a séance at her brother Shelly's house in Long Island, where their dead father contacts them via a medium and tells Barbra to "S-I-N-G P-R-O-U-D!" I guess Papa did hear her, after all.

[quote] In MNIB, she says Dennen sent the tapes to a man for analysis, etc. and that man claimed they were lost and he sent Dennen back two blank replacement tapes as compensation. She claims in the book the tapes were never found.

The Lost Barbra Tapes.

It's like the last scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

I swear I saw those tapes in the discount bin in the record store in her mall.

[quote]In fact, she suspected Dennen was gay. When he told her he had a son, she then assumed he was bisexual

Yeah, in 2023. In those days, you assumed people had "homosexual tendencies," regardless of anything else such as wife and/or children. That means gay. The guy was gay, and if Streisand didn't know The Lion was a gay nightclub, she was more naïve than she is now.

{quote]I think it’s odd that she can talk about Judy and working with Vincente Minelli and never really mention Liza.

WHY? Liza was of no consequence, she was a young performer who held no threat to La Streisand, in a good way or a bad way.

R297, Babs sis Roslyn Kind confirms Barbra was a Lena Horne Fan at 11:15

If he insisted his name was Barre that was a red flag he was gay, right there.

R319 that's a story she told many times before as the motivation to do Yentl when she was trying to decide.

I wonder how Roz feels about her sister talking shit about her father all these years, now in much greater detail in the book.

R323, I’m not saying Liza was a threat. But she was a contemporary. She’d already won a Tony and was getting leading, dramatic roles in films. She was Oscar nominated for Best Actress for The Sterile Cuckoo the year after Barbra won, etc. Plus, Cabaret. Liza didn’t have the recording career that Barbra had but she certainly bested her on stage, had a concert and film career.

It’s like when she does the whole chapter on Hello, Dolly! and never acknowledges that Bette Midler made a stage triumph of the role recently, etc. It’s a bit ungenerous. She drops everyone else name.

If there was a knish named Liza Minnelli she’d mention it.

She doesn’t exactly explain how she patched things up with Laurents long enough to do TWWW. Though she does mention they had to bring in two other writers to improve the script - though that’s not uncommon.

I liked the chapter on What’s Up, Doc? She seems to really appreciate the film - and it’s always been one of her best performances. Ryan O’Neal really was just a himbo.

It’s kind of sad to hear her talk of turning down opportunities to work with Balanchine and Bergman. The Balanchine collaboration on Seven Deadly Sins sounds particularly promising. I think this would’ve been a huge triumph for her. She really did let her fear and laziness get to her, which is what she seems to be acknowledging here. She could’ve been a figure of greater cultural significance.

[quote] The audiobook is the way to go, apparently you can get it from Audible for like $6. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include a PDF of photos, etc. which is surprising. (Even Sally Field’s memoir included this.)

What? The old, personal photos are the best part of these celebrity bios.

I actually like that Barbra is so into food, e.g., char siu bao. She probably eats whatever the hell she wants, now.

[quote] If there was a knish named Liza Minnelli she’d mention it.

R328 If there was a knish named Liza Minnelli she would have eaten it.

Liza is 77, Babs is 81. Back then, maybe Barbra was jealous of the up-and-coming Liza, who grew up in CA, but had the NY vibe. Liza was, of course talented, could act and sing. Plus, Liza just has a nicer personality than Babs.

I have never heard the Balanchine story before. Have heard the Bergman saga how she didn't like his second act of the screenplay of The Merry Widow.

To her credit, she writes about ice cream like an honorary Fat Whore:

[quote]I love ice cream too. There's nothing like a big, fresh scoop of McConnell's Brazilian Coffee, packed into a crisp cone and handed to you at their store in Santa Barbara. The intensity of the flavor, made with real coffee beans ... the smooth, rich texture ... By the way, you can't get McConnell's ice cream at just any supermarket, and this particular flavor is even harder to find. So you can imagine all the reasons I suddenly invent to go to Santa Barbara. Jim and I will hop into the the truck and drive up the coast. That store is like a vacation spot to me . I can't wait to get there, so sometimes we also have to stop at their store in Ventura along the way. But the last time we were there, they only had coffee ice cream with chocolate chips, which ruined it for me. Sometimes in an emergency situation, I may call Dan Bifano, my rose expert who lives in Santa Barbara and ask him to bring me a couple of pints when he comes down to check on my garden once a week. For my birthday one year he gave me a whole tub. I regret to admit it didn't last that long.

Frankly, I think this her best writing, tapping into her deepest emotions in a way "Yentl" and "Evergreen" fail to do.

R335, Does her ice cream craving stem from her stepfather telling her she was too ugly to have any ice cream?

She doesn't mention the downside of coffee ice cream - insomnia!

R337, Not to mention, diarrhea.

Because she’s a night person!

PORK buns? Oy vey iz mir!

This book sounds dreary, superficial, fake, boring and self-impressed.

Patinkin has clashed with peers his entire career. Nothing new. Ditto Laurents. Laurent’s auto bio is fascinating in its descriptions of the times and players. But it’s not hard to take a lot of it with a grain of salt because his egoism and bitchy nature shines through. He liked almost no one- he criticizes relentlessly some of the greatest characters in show business from Sondheim to Robbins to Horne to Streisand. I believe he claimed responsibility for both casting Streisand in Wholesale and doing big number in the chair. He rightfully was disturbed by Pollack removing the politics from the WWW as she described in the book. It stripped the movie of its driving narrative and the actual reason for the couples breakup.

R328, you don't get it. Streisand mentions people she WORKED WITH. She worked with Judy, she worked with Vincente Minnelli. She didn't work with Liza. Liza is a friendly acquaintance, she's not in Barbra's inner circle. There's no reason to mention her in any context. What does Bette Midler's later Hello Dolly have to do with anything? She makes no mention of Cher, Diana Ross, Julie Andrews or Mitzi Gaynor. Doesn't need to.

[quote]Barbra was jealous of the up-and-coming Liza

OH BOY. You have no idea of the magnitude of Barbra Streisand's career and persona in the 1960s. Liza and her career at that point was like a speck of sand at the bottom of Mt Olympus (Streisand). And why would Streisand be "jealous" of her at any point? Liza's singing and performances are a completely different style than Barbra's, and they excelled in different areas. There was no competition.

Come back to the five and dime, Barbra Streisand, Barbra Streisand!

Is it true Barbra attended the Oscars in a garnmet exposing her arse, then she got rogered afterwards?

R345 if ONLY there was a way to check that information.

[quote](Liza) already won a Tony and was getting leading, dramatic roles in films.

Yes. I'm sure Barbra Streisand would have traded her roles in Hello Dolly and The Owl & the Pussycat to do Tell Me that You Love Me, Junie Moon.

Didn't Patinkin give Meryl Streep notes with tips on her acting before he was fired from Heartburn? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Any confirmation yet that it’s a flop?

It hasn’t been out a WEEK, R349. Books are not evaluated the way movies are.

It’s #5 on Amazon. Britney is #1.

I’m enjoying it FWIW. I’m skipping around. Like others upthread, I like reading what a foodie she is.

The Normal Heart bit is interesting. After Ryan Murphy finagled the project out of her reach, she rang to congratulate him on the show and asked how he got Larry to agree to the changes. Ryan said he agreed with him, then took them out gradually.

That was a method it had never occurred to her to use. She’s radically honest, not a coy flatterer.

I was surprised she was paid a third of what Dustin Hoffman did, plus no points, for Meet The Fockers.

I assume she did Fockers for shits and grins and to get her face on screen again.

The Fockers seems like an odd choice, esp. given the low pay.

She could add acting with Dustin to her resume, r354.

She did The Fockers because that was the ONLY MOVIE OFFER she received No one else wanted to hire her at that time (or this time).

Mandy looked fairly fuckable when young, and she turned down Brando in his prime. I think her equipment wasn't working properly. At least, that's the perspective of a gay man slut-when-young. She clearly didn't build her career on her back.

[quote]She clearly didn't build her career on her back.

Just don't read her panties.

By all accounts only 2 people have ever had nice things to say about Mandy Patinkin:

Patti Lupone and Claire Danes.

It’s basically a cunt festival

Mandy left "Criminal Minds" after 1 season and bitched about how it was a huge mistake for him to have done the show, it was horrible, etc. Nobody else commented, it seemed, on his departure. Maybe they were glad to see him go.

He's not attractive. Babs said she was not attracted to him and that's the final word.

I thought Mandy was REALLY hot 40 years ago. She says she originally wanted Richard Gere ("strong nose, lovely head of hair, and a pretty mouth") for Avigdor, but he said he would take the part only if Barbra acted OR directed, but not both. Then, 10 years later, she said Gere called her to say he wanted to play Tom in "The Prince of Tides" and she told him, "Richard, you're not a guy from the South." I wouldn't have thought he was a guy from a Polish shtetl either. Strange, but when she was working with Sondheim to get a movie of "Gypsy" made (after Arthur Laurents had died), he said only if acted OR directed, but not both, which stopped the project and which she "found hard to forgive."

[quote] It hasn’t been out a WEEK, [R349]. Books are not evaluated the way movies are.

They’re evaluated on pre-sales, hon. It’s just like movies. Britney’s book had pre-sales through the roof. Analysts easily predict where a book is going to land and if it has legs.

He admits it.

And.

Mandy was never attractive. R361 has cataracts.

Does Babs talk about wanting to be filmed from her good side?

Yes, more than once. The funniest anecdote is when she tells the cinematographer Gordon Willis (on "Up the Sandbox") that her left side is better, but he "thought I was crazy" and filmed her from both sides throughout the movie. After they wrapped, Willis told her, "Your left side IS better."

Barbra's Specials always had a unique look.

[quote] The Fockers seems like an odd choice, esp. given the low pay

She didn’t find out about the pay until afterward.

At the time the sequel was announced, Ben Stiller sucked up to Hoffman and Streisand in the media, saying it was his dream to have them play his parents. So it seemed like a coup to sign them both.

This is not gone into in her book but in the 1990s Robert De Niro tried to get a biopic of Jackson Pollock off the ground, and he wanted Barbra to play Lee Krasner. He grew up them in New York around his artist parents. But Ed Harris beat him to the punch.

dueling Pollocks.

[Quote] how ridiculous. She directed 3 movies.

Prince of Tides is so overrated, and The Mirror has Two Faces is bad. Never saw Yentl.

NPR interview.

[quote]The large print edition should do well.

How? It'll be about 2000 pages and none of her ancient fans will be able to lift it.

Incidentally it has a negative review in the Wall Street Journal today.

‘My Name Is Barbra’ Review: A Star Is Boring

100 pages dedicated to the making of YENTL??

[quote]Still, she has an unbeatable description of Good & Plenty, cylinders of licorice coated in a pink and white candy shell. They were, she writes, “like eating jewelry.”

They kind of were.

I liked the book through the first half, but then, after "Funny Lady," it just became too much. Including the 100 pages on "Yentl." As reviewers have noted, her penchant for quoting gushing praise of herself and her work is excessive, never mind whether you agree with it or not. I get that she is proud of what she accomplished, but did no one suggest to her that the letter from Mike Nichols that she reprints was probably written while his judgment was clouded by reams of coke?

[quote]Your picture is a masterpiece. Meryl Streep and I saw it at a screening and wept copiously. I was indescribably moved that Yentl's problem with the world was the same as your problem as a director in the world of movies. You both solved your problems with brilliance and heart and wisdom. You are a first-rate artist and I am your admirer.

I did feel sorry for her with her mother. I wonder if she was bipolar?

Speaking of Meryl, does she mention La Streep at all?

One thing that surprised me about the early years was how often she performed at the Bon Soir, Blue Angel and Caucus Room. She would perform in them for weeks at a time, even while in I Can Get It.

Barbra’s mother needed a few drinks. That would get her in a better mood.

Why didn't Bar get the first Tony for Wholesale? it was supporting

Why would she mention Streep, R378?

R382 I don't know exactly, but Bar tried hard to get the part in Sophie's Choice

^^She also wanted to turn it into a musical.

Not surprising that WSJ would have a negative review. I find the book fascinating. You find out so much about the entertainment world and its denizens. She’s known Warren Beatty since she was 16!

The scope of her life is protean. There’s truly no one quite like her.

Who is Bar?

R381, She lost to Phyllis Newman for Subways are for Sleeping.

Did Beatty come on to her at 16?

R388 that would have been a huge ego boost to Bar at 16

R388, He came on to Cher when she was 16.

I thought this excerpt about how her son Jason was concieved was hot 🔥 because I loved a young Elliot Gould- that hairy chest! Babs was so lucky to get him in his prime 🤣

"Elliott and I were in our suite at the Savoy Hotel, having an argument about something . . . I can’t remember what. And that led to becoming physical, and then it’s a matter of seduction and resistance and anger and passion . . . I don’t know. And I stopped fighting and just went into my body . . . to feel, to forgive, to share, to be kind, to be vulnerable. And that’s when it happened . . . I could feel the moment when I conceived."

I like the way Babs uses the words “died,” “death.” None of that passed and passed away shit.

R391, I doubt she did. My ex-sister-in-law said the same thing and she was a wacko.

I feel some compassion for her mother. Her family was poor and working class, she lived through the Great Depression, the man of her dreams (he was handsome and smart) dies suddenly at the tragic age of 32, she has two kids, one that has been a handful for all of humanity. She had it tough and, I think, really tried to do the best she could. My family was Brooklyn working class who lived through the depression. They had the same mentality, get a secure job, preferably with the city that you keep for the rest of your life and, hopefully, get a pension. The wolf is always outside the door.

Also, something Barbra mentions which is a little shocking and even more so because she doesn't really address it, she had almost no contact with her paternal grandparents because they blamed Diana for their son's death. That is terrible. What kind of people reject their grandkids, the children of their dead son?

We do.

Does she mention co-starring with Joan Rivers as her lesbian lover in that horrible showcase that Rivers has described?

R395, Yes, and Babs writes that she was envious of Joan because she came from an affluent family and her father was a doctor.

Babs is also extremely complimentary to Phyllis Diller in the book.

R395 Joan was mentioned briefly in the Howard Stern interview, so yes I assume it was in the book.

Joan hated (was jealous of) Barbra for decades.

[quote]Joan hated (was jealous of) Barbra for decades.

Source, r398?

MY EARS, R399. Joan made shitty comments about Streisand on TV and radio in the 80s, 90s, some of it on local NYC shows. On her radio show a caller even called her out on it, asking if she was jealous. Joan said no, but that Brolin is probably going to get tired of Barbra and move on. I liked her, but Joan could be such an asshole. I remember her trashing Streisand's self absorption during an on-air interview with Peter Bogdanovich. It was extremely rude and not the least bit funny. He just giggled, didn't take her on.

R400, James Brolin is 83. His chasing pussy days are over.

Barbra goes into detail about her affair with Pierre Trudeau in the book.

This was 1997, R401.

Joan and Martha on Donald...

With Pierre Trudeau and all of these womanizers (including Brando), they were probably whispering sweet nothings to several women at the same time they were pursuing Barbra Streisand. Doesn’t she get this?

Does she mention going to a singing teacher who told her how to pronounce bee in A Sleeping Bee?

R406, Yes, one lesson only.

She refuses to name Elliott’s second wife and mother of Jason’s half siblings, Jennifer Bogart, by name, just refers to her as “someone”.

Elliott married and divorced Jennifer, daughter of director Paul Bogart, twice.

R407 that was in the Geraldo Rivera interview she did to promote Yentl.

She mentions going to one teacher in New York – for only one lesson — because she didn’t like her.

Then, while she was singing in San Francisco and became self-conscious particularly about holding notes — she went to another teacher, who she did like — and who reassured her that she was using her voice correctly and could trust her instincts.

R407, R410, sure, Jan.

[quote]they were probably whispering sweet nothings to several women at the same time they were pursuing Barbra Streisand. Doesn’t she get this?

She was whispering sweet nothings to other guys while she was with Elliott and Jon. It all seemed pretty open.

I can see this book appealing to diehard fans who eat, sleep, and live for Babs, the ones who would go through her trash trying to find everything little thing out about her. To the general public, this book is tedious. I don’t need to know every meal Barbra has ever eaten.

Those guys weren’t Brando, R412.

R396 - I've never heard anybody say a bad thing about Phyllis Diller.

On the perception that she has a big ego

I'm not sure if this book is any good. If somebody tells me it's fabulous, great. If they tell me, well, it could have been much better, I could buy that too. I have two sides of me, and one helps the other. I don't have a swelled head; my mother didn't have to worry. I believed her when she put me down. God, I have to go back to therapy, I think! But I'm not that interested in myself. I love being interested in my grandchildren.

People who aren't that interested in themselves don't publish 1048 page memoirs padded with quotations saying how interesting they are.

R105, she did not have a vax affair with Brando. He came in to her once rather crudely- it kind of grossed her out but they became friends- good friends.

Yeah, the story about pulling fat Brando out of his car by both arms was a bit of a dick wilter.

Brando sounds like a lot of work.

It’s a good book for people who usually don’t read, people who have never read a biography or autobiography. It’s not so much written as it sounds spoken into a tape recorder. And it needs LOTS of editing.

R408, why should she have mentioned the name Jennifer Bogart? Bogart was part of Gould’s life, not hers. Whether they married twice or not at all the woman is not part of her life. It’s not like he married Penny Marshall or someone we’d know who might deserve a mention by name.

Lol R420- so only celebrities merit mention in biographies- certainly you don’t do much reading!

R420, You would have to hear the audio to understand. I’m paraphrasing, but she wrote/said “In 1971, Elliott had gotten . . . pause . . . “someone” pregnant and wanted to finalize our divorce so he could marry her.”

It was the way she said it.

Reminded me of Ivana Trump, who refused to utter the name Marla Maples during interviews, always referring to her as “the showgirl”.

R420, Jennifer Bogart is the mother of Jason Gould’s half siblings, so one could argue that she is part of Streisand’s life.

R421, if I’m not mistaken, this book is an autobiography not a biography.

The old shtick...

I think technically it’s a memoir R424

Too long for a memoir. More like an epic saga.

Has anyone made it through Yentl? The songs are terrible.

Kris Kristofferson gave hickeys on the neck. Thank God she had a two-piece bathing suit by Rudi Gernreich with a turtleneck top to hide them.

Wow, she had the Hitler Youth undercut at r425.

Her brief engagement with shoplifting was "not as simple as random shoplifting," considering that Streisand operated much more cleverly than your average teenage thief. "I was a very logical girl and I had my own system," she describes.

Streisand writes that she would pick up discarded store receipts off the floor, then find an item in the store that was the same price as one of the items on the receipt. She'd go to the refund window with the un-purchased item and a stranger's receipt and use the cash to get something else wanted.

Her tactics began to escalate, though, and once when she was trying on a pair of shorts in a fitting room, she realized she could just wear them under her skirt out of the store.

Finally, her stealing streak ended when she stole a pair of socks by dropping them into a bag of other purchases. A woman nearby said to her, "I saw you put those socks in your bag." With that, she set the bag down and walked out of the store, and never stole again. "I liked testing boundaries but I couldn’t stand the humiliation and shame that I felt at that moment," she writes.

"Barbra was a reformed teenage thief until 40 years later - when she stole my heart!!"

Does she talk about auditioning for Otto Preminger for Joan of Arc?

Colbert 1

The wait time at my library for a copy is ten plus people for one of three copies. The audio version is 24 people.

No one wants to buy it.

Colbert 2

Colbert 3

Colbert 4

Colbert 5

[quote] No one wants to buy it.

Really, R435? It's currently no. 5 on the Amazon bestseller list.

^I'm surprised Babs hasn't bought enough copies to make it number 1.

R441, you ought to know she doesn't put her own money into anything.

If there was a lot of talk and pictures of gorgeous naked James Brolin it would do very well

James Brolin was married twice before. First wife died in an automobile accident, but second wife Jan Smithers is alive and well.

Smithers and Brolin had a daughter together.

Wonder if Streisand has a relationship with either or both.

Brolin was long divorced from first wife when she was killed in a car wreck.

R445, No shit, Sherlock.

Gotta give Babs credit. She is publicizing the hell out of this book.

And given how old and frail she seems now, we are very fortunate that she didn’t succeed in starring in Gypsy just a few years ago. She should have done it back in the 1970s or 1980s.

In the memoir, Barbra says that the first time she met Brolin and Smithers' daughter Molly, the girl was 8 and refused Barbra's offer of 4 different kinds of ice cream (including her personal favorite, coffee) because, "I don't like ice cream. My Mom said it isn't good for you." Barbra writes, "What? I'd never met a kid who didn't like ice cream. This was unusual, an eight-year-old who was so health conscious." I'm sure Barbra was secretly thinking, "More coffee ice cream for ME!"

I take that as more of a dig at Smithers, r449.

I'm worried sick about Barbra's book!

[quote]Gotta give Babs credit. She is publicizing the hell out of this book.

Why shouldn't she? It gives her license to talk about herself nonstop and make money for it.

Given that she’s known for defending women and women’s rights, I don’t recall Streisand publicly supporting Diane Lane when Josh Brolin was arrested for hitting her in 2004.

You're having to dig for criticisms, r453.

so did Colbert steal from her?

R454, Mrs. Brolin pontificates, especially in the latter chapters, how women should and need to band together.

Yet, she never uttered a peep when her stepson was arrested for beating his then wife.

On December 20, 2004, Brolin's wife at the time, Diane Lane, called the police after an altercation with him, and Brolin was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. Lane declined to press charges and the couple's spokesman characterized the incident as a misunderstanding.

Babs did fine behind the scenes.

New Yorker review (of the book).

[quote]And given how old and frail she seems now

I don't think she seems frail considering she must weigh 175 pounds, but she doesn't seem to be able to walk without holding on to someone.

I noticed her eyes look red. What is that? Allergies??

Well I'm in my 30s and never really had an interest but thanks to these threads in going to be watching some old Barbra movies this weekend to see what I've been missing. She seems like a game old broad

Lol, r456, whatever.

Ahh, move over rover and let Britney take over! Yeah you know what I’m talking about, yeah get on with it baby!

In her new memoir My Name Is Barbra , she writes about her relationship with Miami Vice star Don Johnson, and how, more than 30 years after they broke up, he still tells her he loves her when he sees her… though she doesn't return the sentiment.

Because, r465...of course.

I think the book was to make James giddy that he landed such a fought over global beauty

I wonder if it bothers her that she’s not number 1 on Amazon after all the relentless promotion.

R468, Very surprised that she’s not doing “The View”, especially where she mentions that Whoopi has allowed her to use her bus because she does not like to fly.

Wow. On the Audible UK Best Sellers chart, My Name is Barbra debuted at No. 12 upon its release last week, moved up to No. 9 by the weekend and now 7 days after release has fallen to No. 18. (I currently do CS/tech support.)

And I just had my 1st return on it; the Cx said they didn’t like the narration, of all things, which is kind of crazy. I said, “Sir, I can return this title for you but you’ll have to turn in your gay card as well.”

It’s moved up to the #2 position on Amazon.

Barbra is not doing “The View”?

Well, that is harsh lighting in their studio.

Still, she could do a remote feed from her home and be in complete control of that.

R472, She appeared on Howard Stern via remote.

Barbra shmoozing with Howard Stern but snubbing The View seems... odd.

The View may want her to walk out - that could only happen with Whoppi holding her up. And she'd have to get out of the bathrobe. Not gonna happen.

She looked like she was seated on a throne on Stern.

R462, definitely watch What's Up, Doc?. You have to watch Funny Girl, of course, and you'll be dazzled by the 1st half but the 2nd half is a bit of a slog mostly - focus on her performance and what she's doing on camera as opposed to the story itself. Eventually, next weekend, you'll need to watch The Way We Were. Yentl, eventually. Those are the essentials.

You'll probably never find it but avoid The Owl and The Pussycat - it's very dated and her performance in it is abrasive, shrill and kind of offensive.

Watch the tv specials if you can find them, they're incredible, especially the 1st one, My Name is Barbra. You can find the Barbra and Judy clips right there on YouTube.

Listen to her 1st Greatest Hits album to get an idea about what she was up to in the early days. Vol. 2 is good too. Then Guilty, The Broadway Album.

That's a pretty good syllabus. :)

R476

It´s a 1735 Queen Anne wing chair upholsterd in traditional linsey-woolsey fabric. She had it upholsterd in navy-blue velvet- to match the color of the uniform in a George Washington portrait nearby.(done by Charles Peale Polk in 1795 )

It usually stands beside a Duncan Phyfe card table in the foyer of her main house,just under the staircase;with portraits done by Lydia Field Emmet, John Singer Sargent and Robert Henri.

The measurments of the Tabriz rug are unknown,as of now

The Christmas Album is like Buttah

Listening to the audio book now and she's doing a fine job. Surprised to here music like when she's talking about singing "A Sleeping Bee" or "Miss Marmelstein" they play a clip. That was cool. She obviously loves vintage clothes and gives way to much detail to every piece, other wise it's entertaining.

the woman is 81. Enough about her looks! I just do not see how I might get through 992 pages of Barbra's life story, and I love her. I think I will wait and maybe I'll get it used, and I might read parts of it from time to time. She said she recorded her memories and they were transcribed. After watching her interviews I have to say, she must have been a pain in the ass to work with for an editor. I found it interesting that Jackie Kennedy tried to get her to do a bio years ago and she said no. I love her, I love her politics, but the thought of reading her bio is very daunting.

[quote]No one likes Barbra who’s worked with her. Even Rutanya Alda of “Mommie Dearest” fame ripped her a new one in her book.

Rutanya Alda!?! Who the fuck would want to read a book by Rutanya Alda that wasn't all dirt?

Alan Alda to support his sister.

[quote] I don't think she seems frail considering she must weigh 175 pounds

R460, she's not 175 pounds, you fucking fool.

[quote]She doesn’t exactly explain how she patched things up with Laurents long enough to do TWWW.

Babs and Arthur Laurents remained friendly for the entire decade up to The Way We Were. From his autobiography, probably Christmas 1964:

"At the annual Xmas party at our house...(Streisand's) aggressive brashness vanished...suddenly Barbra, the New Girl of the Year, was so shy she had to be pushed into the living room and blocked from hiding behind the thickly decorated tree. This was New York where everyone was comfortable with Lena Horne and Anita Ellis, idols to Barbra, old friends to the rest of us."

"When Barbra decided to give a party...bring Lena, she said. Lena was reclusive, fussy about friends and not mad about parties. I didn't ask her."

NOT in the Streisand book.

[quote]I have to say, she must have been a pain in the ass to work with for an editor.

You think that book had an EDITOR?

Okay, R484, 185.

she gives the impression the editor said to add more with blood on the pages.

But it reminds me of Norman Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and her script for Salome. When Joe wants to cut something she demands it be put back in.

R481, Jackie approached her in 1984 when she was only 42.

[quote] Okay, [R484], 185.

Darling R486, I think you're referring to your own weight, but don't you mean 285?

It may not be as obvious in the physical book, but in the Audiobook Barbra makes it very clear that all the praise lavished on her made her extremely uncomfortable. I find all the criticism about her inclusion of these compliments very interesting and funny-- normally, yes, it would seem as though a person cherry-picked the best and brightest things to remember, and they'd deserve to be made fun of for repeating them verbatim. But this is Barbra Streisand we're talking about. Even if they're not a fan, I don't know anyone who wouldn't agree that she had the most remarkable voice of her generation. The superlatives are justified. She's citing her sources: this is what my colleagues were saying about me. And it makes for a very compelling overarching theme, tracking the development of her self-confidence over time, how such over-the-top fawning praise would effect someone who grew up never receiving a single compliment or kind word from her mother or stepfather. I personally love when she quotes from a review or a letter from a famous fan, it puts her experience into better context. And her talent deserves to be celebrated.

R481, firstly, get the audiobook. Think of it as like an encounter with Barbra, it’s very companionable.

Also, you don’t have to listen to the whole thing at once. I think I got up to the What’s Up, Doc? chapter and have been taking a break before continuing the TWWW. I’ll finish the book but, y’know, it’s not a homework assignment. It’s like Babs telling it like it is, with a lot of food thrown in. I mean, I would love to have a meal with Barbra Streisand because she’s someone who really enjoys the taste of good so much.

After a while you pick up her little quirks and things, and one feels even more affectionate towards her because she’s telling it like it is. As a career retrospective, it also makes you want to revisit her work. So take your time, enjoy it.

She was brilliant on Colbert the other night.

I stole the audio book and the book. Shoot me. Babs used to steel, as well.

I love the Owl and the Pussycat- yes it’s a bit dated but also very funny and she’s a riot.

“Babs used to steel, as well.“

Oh, dear.

I couldn’t get through 20 mins. of it.

R497 = Lainie Kazan

R490, time to refill your meds!

R499, time to refill your Ozempic script!

I found the Colbert disappointing. He started well asking her fresh questions but then he just seemed to want to be funny and he wasn't.

Couldn't disagree with you more, R501. I thought he was hilarious and deliciously snarky--just the right amount, as well as admiring of her. And she played along well, which made her come off better than usual.

Colbert did not want to do the usual sycophantic puff piece, and he succeeded.

I still think the Howard Stern was the best so far. Howard may be a Barbrarian but I wish I could listen to all the interview. Every site I have tried wants me to join first. Ugh.

R504 it's on YouTube

That's not the whole interview. Just bits and pieces are on Youtube.

I hope whoever was assigned movies to watch reports back. I have never been able to get through a single one of her movies without feeling nauseous.

Maybe this isn’t the thread for you, R507.

I liked when she spoke about Gaza on Colbert. There’s a lot of depth to her personality.

what did she say?

It makes her cry.

Colbert makes me cry too

Her stepfather really did a number on her. He literally never talked to her. One day he gave Rosalind money to buy ice cream for everyone "but her!..she 's too ugly". He sister in law confirmed he said it and was cruel to her.

Depth? She said it made her sad and why can’t people get along. Not exactly insightful.

R484, she said that was her weight when Howard asked, you vicious cunt.

- Not the original poster

Barbra’s book debuted in the #2 position on the New York Times hardcover nonfiction list.

Britney is still #1.

It sounds like she left home at16 to get away from the stepfather just as much as for her desire to become an actress. It sounds like for a period she was essentially homeless dragging her cot around crashing with friends. Does she say how he treated her after success?

Louis Kind was long gone when she left home. Not that her mother was much better.

What does she say about Roslyn Kind?

[quote]What does she say about Roslyn Kind?

She says she's been told she has a relation named Rosylyn Kind but that she's never met her.

She calls her Rozzie and says she was her maid of honor when she married Brolin. I thought she'd have picked Donna for sure.

R504

There is a downloadlink in R(eply) 10 in the thread below. The whole 2,5 hours.

EnJoy!

R521, Her brother Sheldon walked her down the aisle.

[quote]She calls her Rozzie and says she was her maid of honor when she married Brolin.

I never saw a photo of her at the wedding

That Louis Kind and the ice cream story was told on 60 Minutes in 1991 - 32 years ago.

She was very ill the evening she knew her stepfather was coming to see her in Funny Girl, but she insisted on going on.

Afterwards, he sent her a box of candy, which she kept for years.

Barbra’s book is a certified flop. #2 debut. Britney still #1 after 3 weeks. Barbra’s book will fall off the chart in no time. This is no doubt going to drive her to eat even more pancakes.

Yeah, r527...right.

That’s brand new information R527!

R522 - Unfortunately, it says the time for the link to be transferred has expired, but thank you for trying anyway!

When Barbara falls down in the basement, she sings “Brolin can you hear me?”

Mall security will be there to defibrillate before Brolin gets back from the golf course.

It’s her money but the creepy mall full of old dolls is out to lunch.

R523, No, her son Jason did.

Will she also claim that America wanted to sleep with her now? She was just too darn sexy to read.

Welp, looks like's Bab's Ye Old Book Shoppe is goin' outta business. Perhaps a fast food restaurant will take its place.

When we see her walking down the stairs with Colbert to go to the mall I couldn't help but wonder - was this basement in the original house or did she have it built?

Amazon 1.0 out of 5 stars Almost unreadable Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023 Verified Purchase The book being over 1000 pages long is in small grey print. At 74 years old I cannot read the print.

Amazon Robert L. Anderson

2.0 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL AWSOME INTERSTING ...BUT IT'S HARD TO READ

Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2023 Verified Purchase

I have waited and waited and waited for Barbra to finish this autobiography for so long . Being a perfectionist she kept going back to her papers to change this or to change that etc., etc,. etc,.. She has talked about writing this book even in her concerts . And I knew it was going to be a whooper . Well the book has finally arrived . It's put together nice , loaded with photos and Barbra's touch . The problem........ it should have been in two parts . True it's almost a thousand pages , but the print is too small . I am around the same age as Barbra herself and my eyes are not what they used to be . Not by a long shot and I have sever glacoma . It would have been better if it had 1500 pages instead of cramming all of those words in small print . Surely every reader must agree with me here . And of course the pictures are wonderful , but they too are too small to enjoy and really look at . We're tired of looking at images on cell phones and such . The pictures alone would have made a good coffee table book . In larger SIZE OF COURSE . And the pages are too thin . If they were any thinner they could compare to those tissue thin paper in an old Bible . I'm not complaining about the material Barbra wrote . She's great as we all know . Being such a perfectionist that she is I'm surprised that she didn't notice these outstanding oversights !

From the Don't meet your idols file.

In the '90s, Streisand invited Brando over to her house for dinner and he had been stopped by the police for speeding. When he got to her house, he had gained so much weight that he couldn't get out from behind the wheel of his car. Streisand had to "grab hold of his arms and pull him out."

This thread has become BORING!

Like Barbra’s book.

R540, Brando gained weight during the drive to her house?

[quote]Will she also claim that America wanted to sleep with her now? She was just too darn sexy to read.

That is not how she comes off at all. Someone called ugly, unusual looking doesn't grow up or go around thinking they are sexy. She even admits she knows she has a lazy eye that makes her look cross eyed is some photos.

R544, Fellow lazy eye Andy Cohen would kill to book her on WWHL.

R530

Here's a link to the Stern interview. Bring water and a snack, she goes on forever!

All kidding about her looks aside, does she have a health issue? I know she's always been media shy and a bit lazy and she's never liked to fly but doing all interviews in her home and appearing to have trouble walking unaided is not normal for a filthy rich 81 year old is it?

She also sounds like elderly Mae West now.

I always assumed we'd have her until she was 95+ and she's claiming she may direct again, she'll record again etc but she doesn't look like she could physically do much anymore.

Of course it’s normal, R547. It’s vey possible she has balance issues and would rather be seen holding on to Colbert, Gayle King etc than be seen falling flat on her face. Everyone 80 years old has health issues.

The night of the 1962 Tony Awards, David Merrick was all over Streisand, convinced she would win for Wholesale.

When Phyllis Newman’s name was announced, Merrick suddenly dumped Streisand and was all over Phyllis, who he had been ignoring all evening, even though he was the producer of both their shows.

So, R549? Merrick was a weasel, don’t you know that?

I'm many chapters beyond this, but one detail has stayed with me and keeps swimming around in my mind. When Barbra was talking about the development of Funny Girl on Broadway, she mentioned that Stephen Sondheim was briefly considered as the lyricist, but he turned it down because he promised himself he'd write both music and lyrics for his next project. A passing detail mentioned with no aside or emphasis, and I'm still far from the end so I don't know if she ever comes back to it, but there's an obvious parallel there to Barbra so earnestly wanting to direct and star in a film version Gypsy, only to be denied by Sondheim who told her she had to choose one role over the other. I think it's so cruel of him to deny her his level of indulged ambition. It's all the more poignant to hear Barbra say she wanted Gypsy to be her final film, a "bookend" to Funny Girl. It's something her legacy deserved, and it's a loss for all of us. Can't help but judge him for playing God so arbitrarily.

Don’t you know that you’re a cunt, R550?

R551, It obviously did not affect their relationship.

Does she address the scathing article Frank Pierson wrote about her and making A Star Is Born?

R554, She’s not at all kind to Pierson in the book.

R553 for someone with a reputation as such a mega-diva, she seems to hold remarkably few grudges, with a very healthy "it is what it is" attitude for even her greatest disappointments. Haven't detected any bitterness in her words or delivery, but it doesn't stop her from taking some people to task.

R551, Sondheim had very serious mommy issues.

R554 - she described him as a pathological liar.

I haven’t read her book—life is too short—but the story I always read over the years is that Merrick told Streisand at the Tony awards ceremony that he voted for Phyllis Newman instead of her.

I noticed she does not repeat the familiar story that when David Merrick heard that the director wanted to hire Streisand for I Can Get it for You Wholesale, he said, "I don't want ugly girls in my shows!"

[quote] and appearing to have trouble walking unaided is not normal for a filthy rich 81 year old is it?

Dude, she's an 81 year old lady with her original hips and knees.

Does Barbra talk about the huskiness and hoarseness of her voice?

She does mention in the book that she’s attracted to hairy men and that she was first physically attracted to Elliott Gould when she saw the back of his neck.

James Brolin is hairy? He doesn't strike me as a hairy guy.

She was stoned when she lost her virginity on a fullmoon night.

She very fondly remembers Lilian Roth and Sheree North her co-stars from "Wholesale".

About her first TV-Special:" I was determind to put the whole thing together without missing one performance of Funny Girl" (besides recording several albums, furnishing her first big apartment and doing major pr-work. All with an upset stomach on the verge of vomitting cause she had a toxic bully as leading man for a year. How´s that for having your dreams come true,Miss Beanie Feldstein?)

She removes that white guck in the middle of Oreos.

Jules Styne "...my darling prince"

Jerome Robbins Loved him! She gives him major kudoos for his contributions as the first director who did not bully her (Arthur Laurents) ore was indifferent (Garson Kanin).

She had basically two personal assistants her whole life. The first for 16 years and her current since 1976ish.

This Funny Girl opening night coverage is terrific.

Post-performance comments from Robards, Bacall, Ray Stark, etc.

R564, I think she means hair - hair on the head. She doesn't like bald guys.

Her Mom was jealous but she was still a Mom and kept every review and clipping in a scrap book including summer stock. That's how Barbra is quoting everything from the beginning and gives her credit for doing it.

Yeah, that her PAs stayed with her so long says a lot about her as a person and an employer.

Erm, we don’t need to post stupid Amazon reviews here.

Those people are so stupid they review the delivery of an item instead of the actual item. That’s a special kind of stoo-pid.

[quote] That is not how she comes off at all. Someone called ugly, unusual looking doesn't grow up or go around thinking they are sexy.

Honey, she has stated that every man she worked with wanted to fuck her. Even Prince Charles wanted her… according to Barbra.

[quote] James Brolin is hairy? He doesn't strike me as a hairy guy.

He does to me.

Probably a hairy back.

30 minutes with Hillary.

Best takeaway from Hillary podcast - Diana Kind had other plans for the night of Barbra's return to singing live. She went the second night.

I'm poised to hit #1 next week, bitches!

Lots of seniors complaining that book is too heavy and overpriced.

She’s down to #7 on Amazon.

R579, She claims in the book her lucky number is 24.

How can Jim Brolin resist this?

I wonder if Barbra has vertigo.

That “He Touched Me” is SO MAJOR.

This thread is doing well. I demand a sequel.

Speaking of Ray Stark, how does she treat him in her book?

There's no trust or respect. She sees him as a shark.

R581, that was before she had work done, and I don't mean on her house.

Listening to the audio book, in the "Funny Girl" chapter and she's been very discreet about sex. Do you think she actually cheated on Elliott physically or just emotionally. Chaplin gave her emerald and diamond earrings as an opening night gift and didn't know how to tell her husband.

You don't get emerald earrings for emotional closeness! I note she also said she never wore them! Not sold them/gave them away/gave them back. Are they still displayed in the mall (unworn)?

Did he really think a married woman could wear emerald earrings and not arouse suspicion in the husband? I a haven't gotten up to that part yet.

R588 She never came right out and said it but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that their relationship was physical. The only way his treatment of her after she put a stop to it makes any sense.

She called them flirtations.

[quote]I note she also said she never wore them! Not sold them/gave them away/gave them back.

She saved EVERYTHING. She has clothes from when she was a teenager.

Wow, r592. She must have dedicated warehouses for that. If she has that much accumulated stuff, she must have some kind of an archivist, too. Imagine the auction after she dies!

Actually, R593, she wasn't much of an archivist. She thanks her mother a few times for keeping extensive scrapbooks. She likes beautiful things, especially from the past, but she doesn't focus on past events, there is much she says she has no recollection of, like going to the Tonys when she was up for on for Wholesale. I think she does have an archivist for a few years now.

The Barbra Archives site no doubt was very helpful.

^^^Yes. Another gift from a gay.

[quote] Imagine the auction after she dies!

She had a big auction to fund her Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. She sold the funny sexy "Owl And The Pussycat" costume among other things. She also sold personal clothes and I bought my friend a pair of her panties, they were unused of course and came with an authentic certificate so my friend can say she had a pair of Streisand's underpants!

I worry that Barbara will go into a violent rage if she doesn’t reach #1. She has broken antique dolls in the past.

Look for my new perfume, Butler.

[quote]She refuses to name Elliott’s second wife and mother of Jason’s half siblings, Jennifer Bogart, by name, just refers to her as “someone”.

There might be a good reason she doesn't. Jennifer Bogart was a teenage hippie Elliott attached himself to, and their lifestyle was engulfed in drugs - alluded to by Streisand as something she'd "been told," probably by their former mutual friends and people they had both worked with at some time. 18 months after he first hit it big in movies, Gould self-destructed. * Even though he denied it, I have no doubt drug use had something to do with it. Gould freely admitted to using LSD and smoking weed all day every day in a 1970 Playboy interview.

Streisand offers little detail in her book instead of going after both of them, like she couldn't leave Jason with them unsupervised. I'm surprised she did (if she really did). Side note, Jennifer Bogart eventually left Gould for another woman.

* Elliott Gould was one of the top box office movie stars in 1970. By the spring of 1971, he was unemployable. Eventually he made his way back to being a working actor, but it was never the same as it was in 1970.

I just got to the part when they get married. She had reservations about the marriage from the beginning, for good reason. They were both very young and, according to her and too much alike, two Jewish outcasts from Brooklyn.

I read in another book that when she went ballistic from stress, like at the Central Park concert, Elliot was the only one who could talk her down. He's quoted as saying that their marriage "was like a bed of lava."